


(Not) A Date

by WakingOblivion



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Forever in otouto hell, Pre-Relationship, Precious Pineapple, Pseudo-Incest, and JPN takumi was more dere, and sort of pre-localization personalities? cuz i feel like localized takumi is too TSUNNNN, pre-localization names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-18
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-27 10:42:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6281437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WakingOblivion/pseuds/WakingOblivion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What was there to be nervous about, really? This was her little brother, a guy with pineapple-shaped hair.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> well instead of studying for organic chem i decided to write something lmao. i dont typically write fanfiction but i have too many head canons and just had to write something for these two!
> 
> forever in takukamu hell :D

_No, it definitely wasn’t a date._

 

Those were the words that echoed into Kamui’s mind as she began to comb the unruly knots from her hair in front of the mirror. The early morning sunlight trickled through the wooden planks of the treehouse, illuminating every stubborn flyaway that stood amongst her silvery waves. She glanced over at the Nohrian-styled dress lying on her bed. While it was indeed beautiful and different to the typical Hoshidan type of dress she had grown accustomed to, it was still going to be pain to do all of those laces by herself…

If only she could call Felicia or Joker to help her… but no, it was impossible! If anyone were to find out where she was going… Kamui shook her head, the warmth in her face rising as she recalled the promise she and her little brother had made the day before.

\--------

“I did it! Did you see?! I hit the target!” Kamui let out a cheer and grabbed her little brother roughly by the arm, dragging him towards the crudely painted bullseye with her arrow sticking through it. The young Hoshidan prince let out a startled yelp and yanked his arm away once they got closer.

“Yeah, I see it! Geez, you don’t have to pull me with such force!” Although he spoke with an exasperated tone, he had a goofy grin on his face. “Good work, sister. I knew you could do it.” He laughed and gave her cheek a poke. “After all, you _did_ have an excellent teacher!”

“Hehe. Thank you, Takumi. As I thought, you really are the best.” Before he could protest, she turned towards him and wrapped her arms tightly around his body.

“K-Kamui?!”

“Thank you, Takumi… from the bottom of my heart.” She closed her eyes, feeling the pleasant warmth radiating off from his body. She sighed, taking in his familiar scent that reminded her of home…

“H-hey… I can’t breathe, Kamui.” Kamui’s eyes snapped open, immediately grabbing him by his shoulders and pushing him away. Takumi’s face was flushed pink, his eyes wide with surprise. This was the first time she could see his face so closely. His eyes were like the sun; a bright, glowing hazel… the same color as the stalks of wheat that grew back in Nohr. His hair was just like her own: it had the same color of the steel and threaded out like endless waves down his back. Of course, he kept most of it tied back in a ponytail, but that didn’t stop a couple of strands from standing up at the base of his hair tie, giving him an appearance similar to a pineapple. His skin, which was normally pale despite him training out in the sun every day, was a deep red, with the color spreading to his ears. His lips…

Kamui suddenly leapt back, releasing her little brother’s shoulders. “Wa-wah! S-sorry!” She felt her blood rush to face, heat burning her ears. Takumi looked away, suddenly more interested in the arrow jutting out of the target.

“W-well, I’m just happy I could teach you something. You really are talented, sister.” Kamui paused, trying to shake out the complicated feelings that were bubbling in her chest. When she finally composed herself, she smiled and let out a giggle.

“Heh… thank you. One day, I’ll even surpass you, Takumi.” He turned back to face her again, goofy grin returning with an eyebrow cocked in disbelief.

“…are you sure about that, sister? This is literally the first time you’ve hit the target… you’ve still got a long way to go. By the time you reach my level, I’ll be even better than I am now.” He crossed his arms and smirked at her.  “Face it- you’ll never catch up to me.” Kamui scrunched her nose and stuck out her tongue at him.

“Blegh. I know, I know! You’re leagues ahead of me- no need to rub it in.” She gave him a playful poke in the cheek. “But I’m going to continue to improve every day. In fact, by today, I’ll get ten arrows to hit the target! In a row!”

He scoffed. “Heh. You wish. Your stance is still very unbalanced, and you keep gripping your arrows too tightly. Getting ten perfect shots in a row won’t be easy for someone like you.” Now it was her turn to cross her arms and grin.

“Eh? Is that a challenge, little brother?”

“Pfft. Challenge? I wasn’t _suggesting_ you can’t do it- I’m merely _stating_ you can’t do it.”  She frowned and gave his hair a poke this time.

“Tch! Big words, coming from someone who's hair looks like a pineapple…”

“What?! Would you stop comparing my hair-“

“Ha! Never. Not until you fix your ponytail!” Takumi’s hands instinctively flew to his hair, causing Kamui to burst out laughing. He scowled at her.

“Oh- that’s it! Okay, fine. I’m _betting_ you can’t hit the target ten times in a row!” She grinned, picking her yumi back up.

“A competition, huh…? Okay… but if you lose, you have to do what I say for an entire day tomorrow!”

Takumui began to protest. “What?! No way... I’m not doing that!” Kamui shook her head and smirked at his defiant expression.

“No backing out! You already challenged me!”

“Ugh, fine…” he muttered, glaring at her. “Well, if _you_ lose, what do I get in exchange?” She paused and thought for a moment, then shrugged.

“Well, I guess I’ll do whatever you say all day tomorrow if you win…” Her face began to warm again once her words and the (secret) implications they had dawned on her. Takumi just stared at her.

“W-what? Is that not good enough…?” She felt the urge to look away from his eyes, which just continued to bore into hers. Finally, Takumi grinned.

“…no, it's fine. You got yourself a deal, Kamui.”

\--------

Of course, Takumi was surprised to discover the sheer resilience his older sister had, with her finally getting ten shots in a row just as the sun had begun to set. Kamui was surprised too- she had wanted to give up after getting to the ninth arrow and then botching the last shot. Still, she was determined to win and started over, going a lot slower this time in order to line her yumi up correctly. By the time Takumi asked what she was going to make him do, she was too tired and hungry to really give her request much thought. She told him he had to hang out with her all day tomorrow, meeting her in the meadow not too far from the archery range. After she ate dinner and took a bath in the onsen, she realized how... great her request had actually been. Hang out all day with Takumi? The two barely spent time together besides those recent bow-training sessions. Both of them knew that Takumi did not hold a high opinion of her before all of this. It was only until recently they had finally just started warming up to each other. They never ate meals together, never really talked outside of the archery range…

Spending time together was going to be strange. She began thinking about what they would actually do the next day as she laid in bed, unable to sleep. Should they practice archery again? But they did that everyday… Should they spar with swords this time? After all, he always refused whenever Kamui asked, and this time he wouldn’t be able to refuse… Maybe they should just take it easy and eat lunch together? After all, with the war going on, having time to relax would be nice…

The two of them would have a picnic together at the meadow, she decided. But she’d also throw in some sparing to make it less awkward…

Kamui shook her head, focusing on getting the tangles out of her hair. What was there to be nervous about, really? This was her little brother, a guy with pineapple-shaped hair. Yet, she had still woken up early to make the food, comb her hair, and dress up…

Kamui shook her head again, pushing all of those thoughts aside and looked upon the challenge of a dress lying in wait for her on the bed. Closing her eyes, she sighed and laughed to herself a little.

 

_No, it definitely wasn’t a date._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "...hmph. Do as you wish."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay first off i would like to say a BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO READ, COMMENTED, AND LEFT KUDOS! i felt so touched and happy and so ARGHHH I AM SO GRATEFUL YOU GUYS ARE SO AMAZING AND LOVELY AND I LOVE YOU  
> i don't write much and am not really skilled with it and this is my first fanfic so when i saw all the feedback it made me so very happy ahhh
> 
> anyway this ended up being pretty long lmao. there's tiny bits of angst here and there but i tried to make this as fluffy as possible... it also ended up being pretty dialogue heavy i'm sorry D:
> 
> anyway i hope you enjoy the ending to this little fic! fellow takukamu lovers UNITE!

Takumi couldn’t sleep.

How could he, really? He hadn’t prepared himself for this sort of outcome; he was completely caught off-guard. Sure, he had praised Kamui for being able to hit the target, but he didn’t expect her to be able to do it ten times in a row. Yet, when he sat there in the archery range, slowly nodding off from boredom, she proved him wrong.

\---

“HAH… finally!” Kamui threw her yumi down to the ground in triumph, startling Takumi awake. “Did you… see? I finally… shot ten in a row!” She wiped away the sweat from her brow with the back of her arm.

“…what?” Takumi asked, rising to his feet. “You did? I wasn’t paying attention.” He glanced over to the bullseye. True to his sister’s word, there were ten arrows sticking through the target.

“…I win.” Kamui panted, still winded from overexertion.

“No way… I lost?” This wasn’t supposed to happen. He had been looking forward to seeing her lose. That way, he could have forced her to sit down and finally learn how to play shogi with him. She always refused when he asked, remarking that she lost all the time when playing a similar game called chess.

He smacked a palm to his forehead. “Tch, how annoying. Alright, what are you gonna make me do?”

She gave him a quizzical look. “…what?”

“…you dolt. Don’t you remember that you said I had to do whatever you say all day tomorrow if you won?”

“Oh,” Kamui nodded, “right… let me think.” She sat down on the bench and closed her eyes, her brow furrowed as she grew lost in thought. Takumi groaned, wincing as he thought of the travesties she was surely going to be putting him through. She would to do something weird to his hair, no doubt…

“Hmm…” Kamui muttered, “I think I got it.”

“What is it?” he sighed, readying himself for the worst. If she was going to mess up his hair tomorrow, maybe he could just pretend to be sick…

“I want to spend time with you.”

“E-eh?!” Takumi gasped at her in surprise, feeling his ears immediately burn up.

Kamui frowned at him. “…what? I won the bet. You already promised you’d do whatever I say.”

“Y-yeah, but…” Takumi stuttered, unable to articulate the words he wanted to say. “I mean, isn’t it a waste? We already spend a lot of time together-” Kamui shook her head, standing up and brushing the dirt off of her training uniform.

“Only in the archery range! We never hang out outside of here. That’s why I’m going to force you to spend all day tomorrow with me.” She reached behind her back, snapping off the leather muneate protecting her chest, then slung it over her shoulder. “Can I leave now? I need to take a bath.”

“W-wait,” he stammered, “I don’t- mmph?!” Kamui quickly pressed her palm to his mouth, silencing him.

“Shush! Remember, you have to listen to me… _no matter what_!” She flashed a cheerful smile at him, but her red eyes glittered in malice. He gulped. “We’ll meet up tomorrow at the meadow not too far from here, got it?” She stared down at him, waiting for his response. He nodded meekly. “Good. Make sure to be there by noon, okay?”

As she walked away, Takumi subconsciously reached up to touch his lips again. The warmth from her hand still lingered.

\---

Now Takumi stood alone in the meadow, unsure what to do. Maybe he shouldn’t have come so early... He leaned back against a tree and sighed. Seriously, what was wrong with her? Out of all the things to force him to do… why did she just want to spend time together? He had been comfortable doing yumi training with her, sure, but that was because he was in his element there. Here… he was clueless. The thought of them spending time together, alone and away from the rest of the army... He covered his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. Why should he be nervous? Kamui was just his sister.  She was probably just going to act like a pest and irritate him the entire day. Besides, it’s not like this was a da-

“Takumi…? Hey! You’re early!” Takumi turned to see his sister running towards him, her feet kicking up the dirt behind her. He could see that she was lugging a gigantic bag in her arms, nearly tripping over it as she sped over to him. He chuckled and waved, then let out a gasp as she got closer.

“Ack- Sister?! W-what are you wearing?!” The clothing she wore was nothing like the kind worn by the woman of Hoshido. The clothing they wore were simple: long pale robes with many layers, a wide colorful sash...

Kumi wore a white blouse and a long purple skirt, the cloth nearly dragging across the ground. A black garment hugged around her waist, its laces descending down her back in an intricate pattern.

“Hmm?” Kamui followed his wandering gaze and looked down at her clothes. “Ah- this is a dress from Nohr. I haven’t been able to wear it for a while, so I wanted to wear it today.” He gawked at her, feeling a blush creep to his cheeks as he realized this was the first time he was seeing her in something besides her usual baggy keikogi uniform. He had no idea she was so… womanly underneath all of that cloth. He shook his head, trying to clear his wandering mind. It wasn’t like her outfit was revealing or anything… in fact, it was pretty simple. He had always believed that Nohrian dresses were gaudy and flashy, more suitable for a brothel rather than be worn for everyday use. He cleared his throat, cheeks still pink from warmth.

“Sister… _why are you wearing a dress?!”_

She raised an eyebrow and inspected the hem of her skirt. “Why…? There’s nothing wrong with wearing one, is there?”

“But isn’t it uncomfortable? How can you move?” he gave a nod towards the black lacing enveloped around her. “And what’s up with that… bondage thing around your waist?! Isn’t it making you suffocate?”

“Bondage thing?” Kamui peered down at her waist then laughed. “Pfft, you mean this? It’s a corset! And I’m use to wearing them, so it doesn’t bother me.”

 “Still, it’s a stupid thing to wear,” he sniffed, “especially when it would have been more practical to wear your usual training uniform. There’s no point in dressing up for today. After all, this isn’t a da- ACK!” He caught himself in time, sending himself into a coughing frenzy.

“Ugh.” Kamui grouched, ignoring his wheezing. “I’ll just go change if it’s that stupid!” She let out a huff and turned to go, but he grabbed her arm.

“Wait,” Takumi said, finally catching his breath, “don’t leave, you dolt.” He let out a sigh. “…as long as you’re okay with it, the dress is fine. Besides…” he gave her a weak smile. “…I’m supposed to listen to whatever you say all day today, remember?”

She whipped her head towards him. “…so that means you won’t mind if I force you to spar with me?” She narrowed her eyes and grinned slyly. He exhaled sharply, willing himself to not roll his eyes.

“…hmph. Do as you wish.”

Kamui jumped up in excitement and cheered, irritating him further. “Yes…! I finally get to show you what I’m really capable of!” She quickly put down the giant sack she was carrying and unzipped it.

“Geez, what’s in that thing?”

“Swords.” Kamui muttered distractedly, rummaging around the bag. “Oh, and lunch… but we’ll worry about that later.”

“Eh?!” he tried to pull her away. “Don’t go digging through there if there’s swords inside! That’s dangerous!”

She turned to give him an indignant look. “Wow, how stupid do you think I am…? I didn’t bring real swords, I brought the sparring ones!” She tossed him a wooden katana and grabbed the other.

“You ready for this?”

“Not really.” He replied sourly, trying to get a good grip on the hilt.

Kamui frowned. “What? Do you want to each lunch first or something? It’s not even noon yet…”

“I know that!” he said with a huff. “You said to be here on time, so I made sure to wake up really early so I wouldn’t miss out!”

“Hmm?” Kamui tilted her head to the side and smirked. “You didn’t want to miss out on anything?”

“Isn’t that what I _just_ -“

“So in other words,” she teased, “you were really looking forward today, huh?”

“Tch…!” he glanced away, feeling his face go red. “Whatever… let’s do this!”

“I WON’T SURRENDER!”

“ALLOW ME!”

They charged towards each other, swords swinging and slicing through the early afternoon air. The audible crack of wood against wood range out as the pair brought their blades together, the sheer impact causing them both to stumble backwards.

“Ha! Not bad, little brother!” Kamui charged towards him again, legs flying so fast that the earth kicked up around her. She leapt up high in the air and sank her blade down, the momentum of her jump causing all of the weight in her body to be thrown into the attack. Takumi barely managed to block her hit, the awkwardness of the angle throwing him off-balance again. As he struggled to get back to his feet, Kamui lunged at him for a second time, going to his right instead of attacking him head-on. He managed to dive out of the way, the edge of her blade narrowly missing his shoulder. He fell to the ground flat on his face, dirt entering his mouth.

“Ugh,” he spat, wrinkling his nose at the gritty texture. As he struggled to get back to his feet, he heard her sprinting towards him again. She was coming from the left this time. Years of hunting allowed his hearing to be better than the average soldier’s. He quickly stuck his leg out, causing her to trip and fall to the grass.

“Wah!” Kamui tumbled to the ground, skirt billowing behind her and sword skittering to the side. Takumi flew to his feet, ready to strike now that she was vulnerable. As he came over to strike her with his weapon, she gave him a hard kick to the chest, knocking the wind out of him.

“Guh!” he doubled over, hands on his knees. By the time he recovered, Kamui was back on her feet again, sword in hand.

“Not…fair.” She wheezed, fatigue clearly starting to overtake her. Her breathing was becoming erratic, her arms were now shaking… he couldn’t help but smirk. He had a feeling that Kamui would tire out eventually. Just like how she put everything into her yumi training, Kamui put everything into her sword strokes. She didn’t know how to pace herself at all.

“Hey now,” Takumi said with a chuckle, “Not my fault you’re weak. You shouldn’t be throwing away all of your strength into your first few hits!” He held his sword in a defensive position, ready to parry any attacks sent his way. “You can’t fight offensively all the time. Otherwise, you’ll always lose!”

Kamui let out a cough, sweating beading down her forehead. “Hah... gloating… even though… _you’ve lost_!” She shot forward, sword surging towards his. As soon as their blades reached each other, he slashed hard, parrying her weapon to the side. She let out a cry in surprise, her sword sliding from her grasp. With her distracted and caught off-guard, he swept his leg beneath her, knocking her to the dirt again. He pressed the tip of his blade to her chest.

“…looks like I win.” He grinned down at her triumphantly. He couldn’t help but feel like gloating a little. He had heard that Kamui was an amazing sword fighter from the others, but here she was, lying helplessly underneath him.

“You beat me?” she said finally, still gazing at him in a daze. She stared up at him, her white blouse stained with dirt.

“Yup. Don’t start crying now.”

“You…” she suddenly broke out in a grin and leapt to her feet. “You beat me!” She laughed, pulling him towards her and wrapping her arms around him.

“H-huh?!” He felt his face flush red instantly, feeling her body pressed tightly against him.

“That was amazing! I didn’t know you were that good with a sword!” She giggled and spun him around with joy.

“Geez, what’s up with that kind of reaction?!” Takumi yelped, ponytail whipping in the wind as she twirled him around. “You’re not mad that you lost?”

“Of course not!” she said, letting him go with a laugh. “I’m a bit surprised, sure, but not angry.”

He let out a huff, but he couldn’t help cracking a smile. “Tch... how rude. Was my win really that surprising?”

“But I’ve never seen you wield a katana before! I thought you only did archery.”

“Of course not,” he replied, “I’ve used the katana plenty of times, especially when I was younger.”

“Really?!” Kamui’s eyes were shinning in excitement. “You gotta tell me everything about it!”

“Tch… fine,” He chuckled, “but not now.”

“Come on! Please?” she begged, shaking him by the shoulders. “Why can’t you just tell me now?”

“…I’m hungry.”

 

The two of them were sitting down now, with Kamui rummaging around the bag she brought. When she emerged, she brought out a long cylindrical container, two bowls, and two spoons. She popped open the container and poured its contents into both bowls, handing his serving over after she finished.

 “Sister," he asked curiously, “what is this?” He could see that it was a soup of some sort- almost like miso soup- but it was much thicker and darker in color.

“Ah, its beef stew.” She was already eating. “I made it myself!”

He flinched once he heard that. “You… made it?” He had never had her cooking before, but if Kamui’s cooking was anything like Hinoka’s… he brought the bowl to his nose and took a hesitant sniff. Well, at least it smelt delicious…

“Oi,” She smacked his arm. “Don’t sniff your food like an animal! Is there something wrong with it?”

“No,” he lied, “It’s just that… I didn’t know you could cook.”

She grinned and puffed up her chest proudly. “Of course I can! Well, I mean…” she paused and laughed sheepishly. “I only know how to cook beef stew. But this dish is my specialty!”

He let out a little sigh. “Alright. Thank you for the meal.” He took a bite and gasped. It was good… almost like a meatier and heartier version of miso soup. He took a bigger bite this time, feeling hungrier than before.

“Ah- it’s good! I’m surprised!”

“Surprised?!” She stuck out her tongue at him. “You’re mean.”

He chuckled. “Heh, I’m sorry. I was just worried your cooking would be just like Hinoka’s!” They both laughed. Everyone in camp knew to steer clear from the mess hall if Hinoka was on duty.

“Heh… poor Hinoka… but I’m glad you like the food.” She looked away shyly. “After all, I made it specifically for you...”

“O-oh.” He felt blood rush to his face. “Thanks…”

“Well, I knew you liked miso soup… so I figured you might like this.” He saw her face go red, the redness spreading to the tips of her ears. He couldn’t help but smile.

“Seriously, Kamui…” he chuckled affectionately. “Thank you… from the bottom of my heart.”

“Y-you’re welcome.”

They ate in silence, putting away their utensils in the bag when they finished. The air around them felt hot, as if they were sitting in the steamy water of an onsen. Kamui was refusing to look him the eyes now, seemingly more interested in the blades of grass beneath them. He coughed, trying to clear his throat.

“Ah, do you want me to tell you about that sword-mastery stuff now?”

“Hmm?” Her eyes flickered from the grass and back to his eyes. She smiled. “Ah, yes, please do.”

“Alright then.” He leaned back to rest on the palms of his hands. “...do you remember how mother wanted to teach you how to use a bow?”

“She did?”

“Yeah. But you didn’t want to. You wanted to be like dad and Ryouma. Every day you would spar with them in the early morning, even though you were so young.”

She laughed. “I was really dedicated to it, huh?”

“Mhmm. You were.” He smiled sheepishly. “…I wanted to be like you guys. So I trained too, hoping to catch up. People said that if I tried hard enough, I could be as good as Ryouma. But… as I got better, so did he. In the end, I never could keep up with him.”

“Ah,” Kamui murmured thoughtfully, “is that why you quit?”

He shook his head. “No… I quit after you got kidnapped.” He paused, then continued. “…Mother was devastated, you know. She would always go to your room at night and cry…”

“Takumi…”

He sighed. “I thought, if I could do anything to make her happy again, or at least make her forget about the pain for a while, I would do it in a heartbeat. So one day, I asked her to teach me how to shoot with a yumi.”

“You learned archery from Mother…?” She asked.

“Yes,” he smiled. “Teaching me made her so happy, which made me happy too. Archery... made me really happy. I gave up the katana after that, focusing on honing my skills with the yumi. But that still doesn’t mean I don’t practice with the katana from time to time.” He chuckled. “Don’t feel bad about losing to me. Losing will help you learn to get better. After all, I beat Hinata when we sparred together. He’s learned a lot from me.”

“What?! J-just how…” She gave a frustrated sigh in defeat.

“You guys fight similarly,” he yawned, feeling a bit sleepy. “You put too much emphasis on offense instead of defense. It doesn’t matter how hard or fast your attacks are… if you don’t conserve energy, you’re done for.”

“Well, thanks for the advice...”  She chuckled. “So Hinata learned from you, huh? I guess it’s not surprising: after all, you are a wonderful teacher…”

“Eh? What was that?”

 “Nothing!” She laughed and patted him on the shoulder.  

“…you better not be making fun of me.”

“I’m not!” He crossed his arms, trying to look cross, but he felt too sleepy. He yawned again.

“Hey,” Kamui murmured as she saw him yawn, “are you tired?”

“Not really.”

“But didn’t you say you woke up really early today?”

“Not really.”

“You were looking forward today that much, huh?”

“…not really.” She burst out laughing, causing him to scowl at her.

“Sh-shut up.” He turned away to stand up, but she grabbed his leg and yanked him back down.

“Geez, I was just teasing you! Come on, get back down here.” She sat up cross-legged and gave her lap a pat. “If you’re sleepy, then you can rest here on my lap, okay?”

“What?!” He covered his face, feeling flustered. “G-geez, I’m not a little kid! Stop making fun of me.”

“I’m not!” Kamui retorted, “I’m just trying to be nice!  And besides…” She narrowed her eyes and gave him a devious grin. “You _still_ have to do whatever I say, remember? So I want to repay the favor and let you rest a little…” Takumi let out a sigh, unable to fight the grin twitching from his mouth.

“…hmph. Do as you wish.” He slowly sunk down to the floor and gingerly laid his head on his sister’s lap. His heart was thumping hard in his chest, but he began to relax despite himself. He closed his eyes and released a lungful of air, unaware he had been holding his breath the entire time.

“Should I sing you a lullaby?” he heard her tease, “Or should I tell you a bedtime story instead?”

“Ew,” Takumi groaned and made a face, “don’t sing, please. I’ve already heard you speak enough to know that your voice won’t be something that will soothe me to sleep.”

“Hmph, how cruel… what about a story then?”

“Sure,” he murmured lazily, “as long as you don’t sing, I’m fine with anything.”

“Really? …what story do you want to hear then?”

“Eh?” he arched an eyebrow at her in disbelief. “You’re asking me? Why ask if you don’t even have one prepared?!”

“I was just joking before! I didn’t think you’d take me seriously!”

“Too bad. You’re going to have to tell me one now.”

She let out an exasperated sigh. “Okay… have you heard the story about the princess and the glass slipper-“

“No. I don’t want that listen to that kind of story.”

“Then how about the story about the princess who was trapped in a tower-“

“No.”

“What about that story with the princess and the frog-“

“Yuck,” he made a face, “don’t you know any stories besides ones that involve princesses?”

“Hmm…” she tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I don’t think so… ah, I know! How about the story of prince Kisaragi? He’s this really cool and kind prince that saves-“

“I don’t wanna hear a story about princesses _or_ princes!”

“But prince Kisaragi is such a cool-“

“Look, I’m sure the guy is cool and awesome and whatever.” He wrinkled his nose. “But I hate fairytales that involve princes and princesses. They’re so unrealistic.”

“Well, you have a point, I guess…” she frowned and closed her eyes, concentrating hard. “Well, I honestly don’t think I know any other stories unless- aha!” she clapped her hands together in excitement. “What if I tell you a story about the one time Felicia tried to make me wear shoes?”

He shrugged. “Okay. I was always curious why you didn’t wear them, anyways.”

She made a face. “Ugh… I just find them uncomfortable and annoying, okay? I’ve never liked them… plus I can run so much faster without them-“

“You’ve never liked them?” he gave her a quizzical look. “You wore them back when you were little!”

“Eh?” She looked at him with surprise. “I did?”

“Yup. You don’t remember?”

“I…” she faltered, looking down at the grass. “…well, I don’t remember much of my childhood. Just snippets of memories here and there.”

“Kamui…” Takumi knew that she always had trouble remembering things that happened in the past. Sometimes she would be able to recall certain memories, but it didn’t happen very often. Clearly something happened in Nohr that messed her memories up…

“Hey,” he chided, trying to distract her, “tell me the story.”

She smiled. “Okay! So it was a typical day like usual, being stuck in my room and bored out of my mind. I was about to call for Joker and ask for him to get me a book from the library when- WHAM!” Kamui slammed her fist to the ground dramatically. “Felicia burst in! I immediately noticed that she was carrying a pair of dainty slippers in her hands. Before I knew what was happening, she pounced on me! She was saying she knew I didn’t like wearing shoes but King Garon demanded I wore them.”

“So what did you do?” Takumi asked, smiling sleepily.

“What do you think? I ran! There was no way I’d wear those awful things! It had been the first time in a while since I been outside of my room, so I had no clue where to go. Felicia cornered me, using her ice magic to freeze me to the wall…”

“Eh?! But wouldn’t that hurt?” He asked, startled.

“Well, no, but I was really cold! Anyway- she had me trapped to the wall, feet exposed. No matter how hard I kicked or squirmed, I couldn’t move. She put the blasted things on my feet and apologized, saying that if she had a choice she wouldn’t make me wear them…”

“But she didn’t really have a choice, huh?”

“Of course not,” Kamui sighed, “it was a direct order from the King. She couldn’t refuse that! So as I grumbled and heart-heartedly accepted her apology, we both realized I was stuck! We tried everything- kicking the ice, smashing it with kunai, melting it with a candle… nothing was working. By the time we gave up I had already been stuck there for nearly half an hour, the circulation in my arms almost non-existent. Felicia left to go look for help… and then it happened.”

“What?”

“I…” Kamui paused for dramatic effect, “transformed! For the first time!”

“What?!” Takumi sat up in shock. “I thought the first time you transformed was when you came back to Hoshido!”

“No, no,” Kamui waved her hand dismissively, “I didn’t do a full dragon transformation! I only transformed parts of my body. My legs and arms transformed into claws, bursting through the ice! Felicia was really shocked to see me free when she got back. When I told her what happened, she didn’t believe me.” She giggled. “I kept the partial-dragon-transformation thing a secret for a long time. If I had known I could turn into a dragon full-out then…” She shook her head and smiled. “So, how was that for a bedtime story? Was it good?”

He scratched the back of his neck. “It was an interesting story and all, but…”

“But…?”

“It didn’t make me want to sleep at all!” he quipped, reaching up and poking her in the cheek. “Bedtime stories are supposed to make you feel relaxed!”

“Is that so…” she closed her eyes again and frowned. “Hmm… this is a bit troublesome, huh? I guess I’m no good when it comes to these sort of things. After all, I’m nothing like my big sis- ah.” She inhaled sharply, her eyes flickering open.

“Eh? Hinoka told you bedtime stories?”

She shook her head, her eyes blank and withdrawn. “No… my big sister, Camilla, did.”

“Ah.”

“Mmm.”

They remained there in silence, Takumi’s head still resting in her lap. He looked up at her, her expression still unreadable. What could he do in a situation like this? Kamui barely talked about Nohr to anyone ever since she left the country.

“…do you miss it?” he finally asked, breaking the silence. She raised her eyebrows in surprise, then laughed bitterly.

“Of course I do… but there’s nothing I can do about it… isn’t there? After all, this is the path I chose.”

“I’m sorry, Kamui.”

She smiled down at him. “Don’t worry about me, Takumi. I’ll be fine, and besides…” she gazed up at the sky and took a deep breath, “I know this is the right path. The path that will bring peace to this world.”

“Kamui…”

“I don’t regret my decision.”

They fell silent again, the two of them watching the sun setting down the horizon. Had they really been here for that long? Did time really fly that fast when they were together?

“See? Isn’t this nice?” Kamui hummed cheerfully, gently brushing her fingers against his face.

“Mhmm.”

“Aren’t you glad we got to take a break today?”

“Mhmm.”

“Are you just ignoring me and agreeing to everything I’m saying?”

“Mhmm.”

“Then I suppose you won’t mind if I do something to your hair then…”

“Mhm-ACK!” Takumi’s eyes snapped open. “Don’t you dare!”

She giggled and gave his cheek a nudge. “Relax! I was just joking! I seriously would never do anything to mess it up.”

“Tch… good. You better not ruin it.”

“I won’t…” Her eyes were half-lidded now, her fingers swirling intricate patterns on his cheek. “I think it’s beautiful, you know?” He stared up at her, trying to read her face. She continued to gaze down at him, red eyes burning into him.

“…wh-what? What’s beautiful?”

She laughed and pointed at his head. “Your hair.” She ran a finger down a silvery strand of his bangs. “Is it okay if I…?”

“…hmph. Do as you wish.”

In the gentlest manner possible, Kamui threaded her fingers through his hair, hands treating his locks as if they were fine silk. Takumi shut his eyes tightly, feeling a tingling sensation of heat slowly spreading throughout his body. He gritted his teeth and willed himself not to break.

He felt her hands stop immediately. He opened his eyes again and raised an eyebrow.

“Why did you stop?”

 She bit her lip and frowned. “You looked like you were in pain. Was I hurting you?”

“ _No!_ ” Takumi insisted a bit too loudly, prompting Kamui to return the same eyebrow raise. “I mean… no, you weren’t hurting me. It’s just… in Hoshido, a man’s pride is his hair.”

“Pride?”

“Yes, his pride. It shows his strength, his prowess, his virility… S-so stroking a man’s hair is a bit… intimate.”

“Ah!” Kamui quickly lifted her hands away, reacting as if she had been burned from the hot wax of a candle. “I’m s-sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine. I...” Takumi paused and took a deep breath, willing himself to say the words stuck in his throat. “…I don’t mind.”

“Eh?” Kamui stared at him curiously. “Are you sure…?”

“Yeah. I w-would like you to continue to touch my hair, if you could…” He shut his eyes again, unable to look at her in the face.

But even though he said that, she said nothing; did nothing. When it felt like an eternity of silence, Takumi spoke again.

“…Kamui? It’s okay… you don’t have to.”

“…oh.” Suddenly and without warning, he felt a hand shoot for the top of his head. Before he could say a word, he felt her snatch the ribbon out his hair, undoing his ponytail and causing his hair to spill out in waves around them.

“Kamui!” Takumi nearly shot back up in surprise, but Kamui held him down.

“Stay still. This is a rare opportunity: you’re finally letting me fix your hair!” Takumi smacked a hand to his face and groaned.

“Ugh… I said you could _touch,_ not fix!”

“Too late now~” She sing-songed, sweeping her fingers through his hair, causing the warm heat to build up deep within his core again.

“…why are you so obsessed with my hair anyway?” Takumi muttered, trying to distract himself from the increasing temperature developing from his body.

“…obsessed?” Kamui frowned and stuck her tongue out at him. “Don’t exaggerate; I just think it’s beautiful. I always get this nostalgic feeling in my chest when I see it.”

“Hmm…” Takumi murmured thoughtfully. “That’s probably because you loved playing with my hair when I was little.”

“Eh?” she questioned. “…I did?”

“Mhmm. You didn’t play with just my hair though… you played with literally everyone’s. Mom’s, Dad’s, Ryouma’s, even Hinoka’s, at the time. Sakura was just a baby, but if she had long hair, you’d probably play with her hair as well. You always wanted to have long hair.”

“So why didn’t I just grow it out then?”

He turned his head upwards to look at her. “Ah, you don’t remember, right?” She shook her head. “Well, in Hoshido, it’s common for a man to grow his hair long. Like I said, a man’s hair is a man’s pride. When it comes to woman though… hair length is not a big deal. Most Hoshidan women keep their hair long. But, if that woman is royalty… it’s a bit different. Woman of royalty that keep their hair long are destined for the royal court, to understand politics, the art of socialization… you know, that stuff.”

“But I didn’t want to do that, huh?”

“No, you didn’t.” Takumi mused, his tone wistful. “Remember how I said that you were completely dedicated to sword-play? It wasn’t just because you wanted to follow Father and Ryouma’s example… it was also because you wanted to be a “cool warrior princess”."  He snickered and reached up, gently curling a finger around a strand of her hair. “That’s why your hair was short back then. Women of Hoshidan royalty who wished to dedicate themselves to being soldiers on the battlefield had to cut and keep their hair short. In a way, it’s also their pride: a symbol of dedication and determination.”

“So that’s what I did…” Kamui murmured, furrowing her brow in thought. “Ah, so is that why Hinoka has short hair now?”

“Yes,” he nodded, his hand preoccupied with her hair. “Hinoka wanted to be a woman of the royal court, but when you were kidnapped, she was determined to get you back. She blamed herself, saying that if she were stronger, she could have protected you.”

“Yes, she told me that. I wish she hadn’t blamed herself… the only one at fault was King Garon.”

Takumi stiffened at the mention of Garon’s name. “Yeah… him. He’s the reason why Mother died.” He let go of Kamui’s hair and clenched his jaw. “I won’t rest until the earth is rid of that Nohrian scum.”

He instantly regretted his words after looking at Kamui’s face. Her expression was distant; unreadable. He wanted to yell at himself. How could he be so insensitive?

“I’m sorry, sister. You were talking about how much you missed Nohr before, and now I-“

“No,” Kamui shook her head and smiled faintly, “that’s not it…”

He glanced curiously at her. “What’s wrong then?”

She bit her lip and sighed. “I just wish that I got to know Mother more. Even though you’ve told me stories about her and all the things she’s taught you… it just makes me miss and long for her more.”

Takumi stayed silent. The loss of Queen Mikoto was something he still didn’t feel ready to talk about. Every so often, he’d still wake up in the middle of the night, shouting from nightmares that replayed her death over and over again…

“…I’m sorry. Can we talk about something else, sister?”

Kamui nodded. “Okay… then, will you let me braid you hair?”

“Eh?! No! I refuse!”

“Aww, why not? I’m really good at braiding hair!”

“Ugh, I don’t care! I don’t want to be looking like a girl!”

“…but you don’t mind looking like a pineapple?”

“Oi, stop saying that!” He snapped, reaching up and lightly smacking her on the forehead.

“Ow…! Why you little…!” She grabbed him by the arms and hoisted him higher in her lap.

“What are you-“

She gripped his wrists, raising his arms above his head and holding them still in place.

“What the heck? Are you some kind of sadist-“

“No,” She glared down at him, “this is for being a brat!” She reached down, snaking her fingers underneath his arms and tickled him mercilessly.

“Wa-wah!” Takumi squirmed underneath her, trying to free his arms. “Ahaha-! Stop! It tickles~!”

She shook her head and grinned deviously. “Not until you apologize!”

“Hah…! OKAY!” he managed through breaths, “I’m sorry!”

She released his arms with a snicker. He gave her a scowl in return, trying to catch his breath.

“…wow. You really _are_ a sadist, huh?”

“Sadist?” She gave his cheek a poke. “Don’t be creepy.”

“Geez… you’re the one who held my arms above my head, rendering me prisoner!”

She made a face. “Okay, fine. Point taken.” She went back to combing her fingers through his hair. “So… you’re _really_ not gonna let me do _anything_ with it?”

He smirked. “Nope. Sorry, you only get to touch.”

“Ugh, such a waste…” Kamui moped, puffing up her cheeks. “Aren’t you supposed to listen and do whatever I say today?”

“…hmph. Do as you wish. But seriously, if you mess up my hair, I’ll bite your hand off.”

“Geez,” she grumbled, “if all you want to do with your hair is make it look like a fruit, then just shave it off!”

“Psh… shave it off? A man’s hair is his pride, remember?!”

“But you’re wasting its potential!”

He looked at her, bewildered. “What do you mean, potential? I don’t care about that! My hair is not supposed to be a fashion statement.”

Kamui continued running her fingers throughout his waves and sulked. “But I think it’s beautiful…”

“Tch, saying such things…” he muttered, “Are you trying to make me mad?”

“But it’s the truth!”

“I’m not a woman! Men don’t want their hair to be called beautiful!”

“Geez,” Kamui pouted, “can’t you just accept a compliment like a normal person? Besides, having your hair called “beautiful” doesn’t make you any less of a man!”

Takumi’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’re saying… even though I’m like this right now, you see me as a man?”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course! Why wouldn’t I see you as one?”

He flipped over to his side and looked away from her. He wanted to say something now… to express the emotions that kept bubbling in his chest. These feelings… he had been keeping them locked inside himself for so long…

And now they were spilling out.

“…I’m glad,” he managed, his voice barely above a whisper. “I always thought you saw me as a little kid.”

“Eh?” She chuckled quietly. “Is that what you think?” He nodded, looking down at his hands. She shook her head and reached over, firming holding his hands in hers.

“What are you-?”

“Takumi,” she said, her voice firm. “Please look at me.” His heart began to pound harder. If it wasn’t embarrassing enough to say these things… He took a deep breath, reluctantly turning over and gazed back up at her. Those dark red eyes… they burned into his skin, knocking both wind and reason out of him. She gently brushed a hand over his cheek, fingers trailing down to his neck; to his collarbone. He groaned a little, feeling his skin grow even hotter.

“I never saw you as a little kid, Takumi.” She murmured, her cheeks flushing pink. “In fact, no matter what you do, I can only think of you as a man.” All he could do was stare as he watched her cheeks flush. He wanted to touch them, to see if her skin was as burning as much as his was... but then he realized what she was actually saying.

“H-huh?!”

She smiled bashfully. “On the battlefield, you’re Takumi the warrior, the only man able to wield the legendary Fujin Yumi… a weapon forged by the gods themselves.” She pulled him closer, her hands hot on his shoulders. His head felt fuzzy, as if he had drunk too much sake and was completely incapable of any sober thought.

“In the court, you’re Takumi the leader, the only one of the Hoshidan royal family that knows how to think with tactic and strategize. Ryouma is too hasty and never knows when to give up, Hinoka is too reckless and throws herself into danger, and Sakura would rather just help others and avoid conflict all together…” She was dragging him even closer now, his head dangerously close to her chest. Every nerve in his body began to tingle as if he had been struck by blast of Mjölnir.

”…and out in the barracks, you’re Takumi the teacher, the one who taught Hinata to be diligent with his sword… the one who taught me how to shoot with a yumi...” She moved her hand and brushed the bangs out of his face, each graze of her fingers rendering him helpless and yearning for more of her touch.

“To me… you were never Takumi the little brother.” She whispered. “You were always Takumi… the man I admire... the man I adore with all my heart.” He gasped, his trance-like state broken. He stared at her, trying to determine if she was telling the truth.

“A-are you serious?” he faltered, barely able to speak without trembling.  “Do you really feel that way…? Kamui?” She looked away and bit her lip.

“It’s wrong… but when it comes to my siblings, I can never find myself loving you the same way I love Ryouma, Hinoka, and Sakura. The love I feel for you… is deeper than the love of a sibling.” She looked at him again. “I’m sorry… do you hate me?” 

“K-Kamui…” Takumi swallowed, “there’s no way I could ever hate you.”

She let out a sigh of relief, the tension in her shoulders fading away. “Thank goodness-“

“In fact… your words…” he stumbled, heart thumping loudly in his chest. “… they made me so happy. I always wanted you to see me as a man. After all, no matter what I do… I can only see you as a woman. A woman who’s beautiful, brave, and kind…” Her eyes widened, the pink in her cheeks spreading to the rest of her face. He continued, his heart still hammering away. “I wanted to be the man that could stand by that kind of woman… to hold you, whenever you needed support… to laugh with you, no matter how grim things may be… a-and to love you, more than anyone else…” 

“Takumi…!” She caught his face in her hands, bringing him tightly to her chest. She laughed, peppering his cheeks, forehead, and hair with kisses. He couldn’t help but laugh too.

“Geez…! Even after we said all of that embarrassing stuff… you’re still treating me like a little kid?!”

She giggled, gazing down at his blushing face with a cunning expression. “ _Still_ treating you like a little kid? I’ve done no such thing~”

“Ugh… you’re doing it right now! Forcing me to lie down on your lap and trying to seduce me with that kind of face…!”

“Heh.” She smiled. “Actually, you were supposed to be taking a nap right now! I wanted to let you rest a little after troubling you all day…” She ran her fingers through his hair again, bringing her fingers all the way down to caress his face. “Go to sleep, okay?” Takumi let out a huff in mock-annoyance, but he couldn’t help but grin. He laid back down, closing his eyes with a sigh.

“Okay… but you weren’t troubling me today, Kamui.” He could feel her hands moving lower now, one hand gently sweeping down to his chest while the other continued to stroke his hair.

“…mmm. I’m glad.” She playfully bopped the tip of his nose with her finger. He made a face, but chuckled.

“…besides, you’re really spoiling me right now, you know?”

She leaned down and brushed her lips gently against his neck, sending jolts of electricity tingling down his spine. “Hehe… is that okay?” she whispered, “… I want to spoil you, Takumi…”

His eyes flew open at that, heat flooding to his face. He sat up and gaped at her, his eyes wide, causing her to snicker.

He really was no match for her. When it came to battle, cooking, and even this… he would never be prepared. He let out a sigh and buried his face in her chest, trying to soothe his beating heart as he listened to hers.

“Does this mean you’ll let me spoil you?”  She said with a giggle, hands squeezing him closer.

“…hmph. Do as you wish.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the inspiration for the "stroking hair is intimate thing" is from this: http://heartcafe.tumblr.com/post/127463559761/takumi-married-life-headcanons  
> highly suggest to check that out^ especially if you love takukamu ohoho
> 
> again thank you so much for taking the time to read my story! I love these two together and i hope everyone else who loves them felt happy after reading this!


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